Have you considered the Junior Officer Cryptologic Career Program (JOCCP)?

The JOCCP is a 36 month program established by the Director NSA/Chief, CSS on 18 March 1971 to develop officers in the ranks of O3-O4 for future leadership positions within the Cryptologic Community. The program provides participants with formal training and individually tailors work assignments within the NSA/CSS and Intelligence Community partners. Upon graduation, all participants are normally assigned to key cryptologic leadership positions according to their respective Service requirements.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the JOCCP fully support the NSA/CSS Missions and are directly linked to the goals laid out in the NSA/CSS Strategy:

  1. Goal 1: Succeeding in Today’s Operations – Enable wise policymaking, effective national security action, and U.S. freedom of action in cyberspace by exploiting foreign use of electronic signals and systems and securing information systems used by the U.S. and its allies, while protecting privacy and civil liberties.
  2. Goal 2: Preparing for the Future – Deliver next generation capabilities and solutions that meet the challenges of tomorrow and drive solutions from invention to operation in support of national security and U.S. Government missions.
  3. Goal 3: Enhancing and Leading and Expert Workforce – Attract, develop and engage an exceptional, diverse workforce prepared to overcome our cryptologic challenges.
  4. Goal 4: Implementing Best Business Practices – Provide timely data to inform optimal strategic and tactical investment decisions while ensuring organizational accountability for executing those decisions and realizing the associated performance improvement.
  5. Goal 5: Manifesting Principled Performance – Accomplishing our missions with a commitment to a principled and steadfast approach to performance through compliance, lawfulness, and protection of public trust must be paramount.In support of these goals, JOCCP objectives include:
  1. Develop a cadre of highly qualified officers trained in cryptologic and information operations and information systems to support the warfighting commanders and national policy makers;
  2. Increase the participant’s knowledge and skills in cryptologic operations, information operations, information systems security and intelligence production disciplines; and,
  3. Provide participants with an in-depth understanding of NSA/CSS and relationships within the National Intelligence Community

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND SELECTION

Participants for the program are selected by the candidates’ military service headquarters.
Personnel selected for JOCCP will be assigned to NSA/CSS for a three-year tour.

Eligibility criteria are as follows:

  1. Must be an officer in the grades of O-3 to O-4;
  2. Should have completed no more than 12 years of service at the time of selection;
  3. Must be a self-starter with high potential and capacity for growth
  4. To respond to Service vacancy announcements, applications will be submitted through the respective military service program centers.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

To successfully complete the JOCCP, each participant must pass all JOCCP Program courses administered by the National Cryptologic School and maintain a minimum average of “B” in graded courses. An individual failing to maintain stated academic requirements, or accepted standards of military/personal conduct will be placed on probation and considered for removal from the program. The participant will earn a set number of hours of study in various cryptologic disciplines. Each participant will have some flexibility in choosing applicable coursework to meet individual desires and Service requirements.

In addition, each participant will complete at least four, 6-month workcenter tours in four of five possible disciplines and may include deployment opportunities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The JOCCP participant shall:

  1. Satisfactorily complete the training and workcenter requirements;
  2. Draft and coordinate workcenter contracts with JOCCP Executive and Panel Representative and gain their approval prior to starting a tour;
  3. Provide a Monthly Activity Report to their respective panel member and the JOCCP Executive. Monthly Activity Reports gauge the progress of each participant and include information on work performed, meetings, visits, TDYs, training courses taken internally or externally, problem areas, and advisor/participant relationship. The report is due by the 10th day of each month;
  4. Provide a written critique of each workcenter at the end of the 6-month tour. The critique should address items learned, problem areas, and recommendations for future participants;
  5. Develop a training plan with the assistance of their respective Panel member and the JOCCP Executive within the first few months of entering the program;
  6. Provide their rater with necessary documentation of work and military performance.

    For questions on the application process email: Navy_JOCCPLead@nsa.gov